Newton North High School

The building

A broad central corridor known as Main Street runs the length of the building, more than 400 feet, and is the focus of student activity.

The building's first floor holds the pool and gyms, the Graphic Arts department, auto shop, carpentry shop, the Theater and Music departments, the Lasker Auditorium, and a preschool. The second floor (Main Street) has the Little Theater, the library, and a dance studio. The third floor holds the photography room and darkroom, and a TV studio. The fourth floor has a student-run restaurant, the Tiger's Loft, the Art Department, and a SOA (Simulated Outdoor Area) gym.

Newton North opened its doors in the fall of 1973, and cost $18.5 million to build. Its overall lack of natural light, including windowless classrooms, and its labyrinth of hallways were controversial from the beginning. The school's head custodian called it a maintenance nightmare that required two and a half hours to lock up. Almost immediately students and faculty complained about health hazards from the school's heating and ventilation system, and from asbestos used to insulate the building's heating pipes. In the next decade many of those problems were resolved, and minor changes to the building's layout were completed, but by 1999 city officials decided a more radical change was was needed.

The new Newton North

Beginning in 1999 officials debated whether to build a new high school or renovate and extend the existing building. In 2003, Newton Mayor David Cohen announced he favored building a new building, which at the time carried a price tag of $105 million. The School Committee agreed in 2004 and the Board of Aldermen signed off on a site plan in 2006. In the meantime the cost of the project escalated steadily and it became increasingly controversial. Still, Newton voters approved the school by a wide margin in a public referendum held in 2007. By 2008, when construction began, the cost was nearing $200 million, making it the most expensive high school ever built in Massachusetts.

Student body

Newton North has approximately 1,900 students in grades 9-12. Boys outnumber girls 52% to 47%, and the student body is about 25% minority.

Here is the breakdown:

Newton North has a dropout rate of 1 student in 100, well below the state average of 3.8 per 100. On an average day 4% of students are absent, and the typical student misses 7.6 school days a year, significantly below the state average of 9.3 absences a year.

The graduation rate of 92.7% is significantly above the state average of 80.9%.

Some 85% of Newton North students attend college after graduating. Here are the latest figures on post high-school plans of Newton North graduates:

Academics

Newton North offers classes ranging from academic courses to technical and vocational training. Non-standard courses range from video production to architecture and automobile repair.

Newton North's Science Team has entered national and regional competitions. Starting in the 1990s, the school's Science Bowl team has won several state championships, in 2004, 2007, and 2008, and placed as high as third nationally, in 1993.

The school consistently ranks among the top in the state and the nation on the SATs and other standardized tests. In 2006 Newton North's combined SAT score ranked it in the top 10 among the 349 public high schools statewide.

Students also do significantly better than the state average on the annual MCAS statewide assessment tests given to sophomores. Here are the most recent scores:

Athletics

Newton North offers 32 varsity sports in three season, Fall, Winter, and Spring. Most sports field varsity and junior varsity teams, and many also field a freshman team. Most sports compete in the Bay State League.

Here are the sports:

Fall sports

Football (Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman)
Boys' Soccer (Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman)
Girls' Soccer (Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman)
Field Hockey Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman)
Girls' Volleyball (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Boys' Cross Country (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Girls' Cross Country (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Golf (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Girls' Swimming (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Cheerleading (Varsity, Junior Varsity)

Winter Sports

Boys' Basketball (Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman)
Girls' Basketball (Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman)
Wrestling (Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman)
Girls' Gymnastics (Varsity)
Boys' Gymnastics (Varsity)
Boys' Indoor Track (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Girls' Indoor Track (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Boys' Swimming (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Boys' Ice Hockey (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Girls Ice Hockey (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Skiing XCountry/Alpine (Varsity)
Cheerleading (Varsity/Junior Varsity)

Spring Sports

Boys' Baseball (Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman)
Girls' Softball (Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman)
Boys' Lacrosse (Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman)
Girls' Lacrosse (Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman)
Boys' Tennis (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Girls' Tennis (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Boys' Volleyball (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Boys' Outdoor Track (Varsity, Junior Varsity)
Girls' Outdoor Track (Varsity, Junior Varsity)

Since 1894, the boys' football team has played rival Brookline High School in the traditional Thanksgiving Day Game. This is one of the oldest high school football rivalries in Massachusetts.

The boys' indoor track team won the state championship for 2001-02, 2003-2004, and 2004-2005. The boy's outdoor track team won the state championship in 2004 and 2005. In 2004-05, the team won a "triple crown" taking the cross country, indoor, and outdoor state titles; the Newton North girls' indoor track team won the state title as well.

The boys' basketball team won the Division 1 State Championship in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.

In the spring of 2002, the tennis team won the Division 1 State Championship.

The boys' lacrosse team won three state championships from the years 1992-1996, ranking as one of the top teams in the country.

The boys' soccer team played in the state finals in 2001.

In 2006, the boys' volleyball team won the South Sectional Title and made it to the state semifinals.

In 2005-06, the boys' football team won the Bay State league championship and went on to the Division 1A Super Bowl.

In 2006, the girls' volleyball team won the Central-East Sectional and made it to the state finals.

In the spring of 2007, boy's tennis doubles team of Dan Razulis and Mike Greene won the MIAA State Doubles tournament.

During the 2007-2008 winter season the boys swim and dive team went undefeated (5-0) in their dual meets, giving them the title of Bay State Conference Champions.

Between 1997-2000, Newton North's boy's gymnastics team won four consecutive state championships.